Hometown Pinellas for May 30

TOURISM PERSON OF THE YEAR: The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Tourism Lunch this month at the Loews Don CeSar Hotel. This year's award went to Frank Chivas of the Baystar Group. Chivas' group represents Salt Rock Grill, Salt Rock Tavern, Marlin Darlin, Rumba Grill and Island Way Grill. The chamber renamed the tourism award this year the "Frank T. Hurley Tourism Person of the Year" award in honor of the late Frank T. Hurley. Hurley was a respected business owner and former commissioner of St. Pete Beach, where he resided for the majority of his life.

MILITARY NEWS: Air Force Airman 1st Class Mitchell R. Smith, a 2013 graduate of Seminole High School, graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Smith is the son of Debbie and Ryan Kimelton of Seminole.

SHAVLAN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Four Pinellas County students received the Mildred Shavlan Achievement Award by the Pinellas County Braille Group this month, including Alexis Lee of Pinellas Park High School, Ashley Warshowsky of Seminole High, Delaney Tolliver of Seminole High and Patricia Hurwitz of Center Academy. The award is given annually to visually impaired students who show outstanding achievement during the school year.

SEMINOLE SCHOLARSHIPS: Six Seminole students received scholarship grants from the Lake Seminole Square Scholarship Fund for the past academic year. The students, pictured from left, back row: Philip Pope, Keith Adams and Brandon Frank; front row: Amber Sieradzki, Ashley Clark and Jeremy Obordo. The awarded scholarships totaled $59,000, and are funded by gifts and contributions from residents.

We WANT your news! Send news of everyday life in our county, whether it's snapshots from family reunions, a local achievement, celebrations or simply good news you want to trumpet. To make a submission, contact Hometown Pinellas coordinator Malena Carollo at local@tampabay.com (put Hometown Pinellas in subject line), by fax at (727) 893-8675, or mail to Tampa Bay Times, Hometown Pinellas, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.